Bee plants at this time of year are vital for emerging mason bees - just as important as for other types of bees later in the year. I'm finding them feeding on forgetmenots as soon as they come out of their cocoons. Bumblebees are still enjoying the hellebores.
This time of year it's my fruiting cherry tree. My ornamental cherry blossoms have already been and gone, but the fruiting one is in full flower now and literally humming with bees (you can hear them if you stand underneath)
Globe style allium seem such a good plant for bees, because I notice that so many different types of bee like them. Today I saw buff tailed bumbles, honey bees, ashy mining bees and mason bees land all on Globe Masters in just a few minutes. It seems most species have a more specific plant preference, but allium ticks a lot of boxes for a lot of bees.
My allium flowers seem to have gone over very quickly - in around 10 days, maybe because of the shock of the sudden heat. We went from a night temp of 3oC in London last week to 17oC tonight and full on 27oC heat in the day. Crazy changes. The roses seem to be blowing in a day or two also, with a flush of just a week.
Bush salvias just starting to come out here (a month 'late'). Short tailed bumbles like Royal Bumble salvia but their tongues can't reach into the trumpets, so they bite tiny holes in the side of the flowers.
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